CM Storm Sentinel Advance Gaming Mouse

[Rob Williams]

Cooler Master has just released its first gaming mouse under the CM Storm branding, and it happens to be quite good. Targeting more serious gamers, there's the ability for robust macros, all of which will be saved right on the mouse itself. To add to the cool-factor, there's even color-varying LEDs and an OLED display.

You can read the full article here and discuss it here!

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Cooler Master has just released its first gaming mouse under the CM Storm branding, and it happens to be quite good. Targeting more serious gamers, there's the ability for robust macros, all of which will be saved right on the mouse itself. To add to the cool-factor, there's even color-varying LEDs and an OLED display.

You can read the full article here and discuss it here!

They had me, right up to the part about "Right hand ergonomic design".

Y'know close to 25% of the world is left handed....

 

[b1lk1]

Unfortunately, 75% of the world does not care, lol.

 

[JMMDTG]

I've never owned an expensive gamer mouse but the macro part really sounds interesting.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Unfortunately, 75% of the world does not care, lol.

I am so tempted to jump on this with both feet...

But I'll simply remind you that producing a left handed version would likely bring about sales increases vastly out of proportion with the stats. They'd gain a lot more than a 25% sales increase because they'd be about the only company doing it and there are lots of people looking for it.... about 1.5 billion people, in fact.

Left handed people also have problems with scissors, tinsnips, shears, serrated knives, etc. There is a company in Toronto (If memory serves) making stuff just for lefties and they make a ton of money doing it... 25% is a very healthy market share.

 

[Rob Williams]

But I'll simply remind you that producing a left handed version would likely bring about sales increases vastly out of proportion with the stats.

Bill doesn't need to be reminded... he's not the one producing the peripherals. His statement is true regardless of things... companies just don't seem to care.

As for the 25% figure, that's exaggerated. I've never known the figure to be more than 10%, and a Wikipedia article backs me up on that in stating it's between 7 - 10%:

Left-handedness is relatively uncommon; 90 to 93 percent of the adult population is right-handed.

I'll also note that I know few left-handed people (not that I ask everyone I meet). You can bet that if the figure was 25%, then companies would take things a lot more seriously.

 

[Arundor]

They had me, right up to the part about "Right hand ergonomic design".

Y'know close to 25% of the world is left handed....

Agree with you here. As a left-hander, I understand how difficult it is to find a good gaming mouse that supports macros and on-the-fly DPI switching.

Left-handers might want to have a look at the Steelseries Xai. I'm very much looking foward to it, it appears like it may be an answer to left-handed gamer's prayers. Steelseries just needs to hury up and release the thing so that I can buy one.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Bill doesn't need to be reminded... he's not the one producing the peripherals. His statement is true regardless of things... companies just don't seem to care.

Ok... lets say your numbers are right... lets use 10% for easy math... Any company that produces and advertises for "sinistralists" (left handed people) is going to pick up a waiting market of about 600,000,000 customers. If only 1% of them actually buy, that's 6,000,000 mice at 69.95 ($70.00 for easy math) each... That's $420,000,000

Will they likely sell that many right handed copies?
Heck, simply producing left and right versions could easily double their sales.

Not caring is not smart, Rob.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Agree with you here. As a left-hander, I understand how difficult it is to find a good gaming mouse...

Or just about anything else!

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Left-handedness is relatively uncommon; 90 to 93 percent of the adult population is right-handed.

This probably correct... because many adults, especially those my age, will actually deny being left-handed (sinistral) because of the prejudices they faced about it growing up.

In first and second graders ... kids who haven't had to face the prejudices and punishments... the number is dramatically higher, Rob. In young children it's approaching 25% and may reach 30% by the time it stabalizes.

Almost all animals in the wild are left-pawed, in that when they walk they lead with their front left foot. Most primates in the wild are left handed, but quickly become right handed in captivity... due mostly to trainers putting things in their right hands.

It is only in humans and only on strength of prejudice that adroitism (right handedness) is the rule.

 

[Rob Williams]

Not caring is not smart, Rob.

You seem to be targeting the wrong people with these statements. I do think that some companies should get around to making left-handed specific mice, and it makes no sense whatsoever that there aren't more of them. Stop taking what I say out of context. I said companies don't care, not that I don't.

In first and second graders ... kids who haven't had to face the prejudices and punishments... the number is dramatically higher, Rob. In young children it's approaching 25% and may reach 30% by the time it stabalizes.

Your assumption of 25% is the first time I've ever heard of a figure above 10%, so I'm willing to stick with 10%. Trust me, I'm doubtful that 15% of the population is scared of admitting they're left-handed. That's absurd to even suggest. If it was 25%, then it surely wouldn't be so uncommon, or "rare".

 

[2Tired2Tango]

You seem to be targeting the wrong people with these statements. I do think that some companies should get around to making left-handed specific mice, and it makes no sense whatsoever that there aren't more of them. Stop taking what I say out of context. I said companies don't care, not that I don't.

Given some of the other commentary I'm not so sure I am targeting the wrong people... but I will agree that this isn't the best place for such a discussion.

My original point was that if they must produce such a product it's not to their advantage to bias the thing to only certain users. Not only does it cost them sales money, it presents an uncaring image to the public.

I can't help but wondering how reviewers might react if some company produced a product that somehow biased itself by race or sex... Surely it is not beyond reason to expect marketplace commentary to include a sense of fairness to consumers.

Anyway... subject dropped. I can see this is heading in a direction I never wanted from my original comment ....

 

[Rob Williams]

Given some of the other commentary I'm not so sure I am targeting the wrong people... but I will agree that this isn't the best place for such a discussion.

My request to you is to copy and paste absolutely anything I said in this thread or elsewhere that made me a rightful target for any of your comments. I stand behind anything I said, as I have never alluded to the fact that I'm the one who doesn't care. To add to that, I'm not the one who's using super-inflated metrics to improve my own argument.

I've made it clear here, and many times in the past, that I feel there is a greater need for left-handed mice. But it doesn't matter what I think... I'm not the CEO of any of these companies. I don't count ambidextrous mice, either. They're not more comfortable for left-handed people, they're just more uncomfortable for everyone.

My original point was that if they must produce such a product it's not to their advantage to bias the thing to only certain users. Not only does it cost them sales money, it presents an uncaring image to the public.

The problem as I see it, is this. Companies cannot simply make a left-handed version of a mouse, such as this one. If they do, then customers are going to inevitably end up purchasing the wrong model. So in order to avoid confusion at all, companies would have to design a completely different mouse, which costs a lot of money. And when the market is 1/10th the size...

If I ran one of these companies, what I'd do is release both versions of the same mouse, but name them something completely different. That way, a gamer will have a far greater understanding of exactly what model they need. It's easier to differentiate completely different names than it is to differentiate names like, "Sentinel Advance L".

Of course, a huge "For left-handed gamers" sticker would probably work just as well.

I can't help but wondering how reviewers might react if some company produced a product that somehow biased itself by race or sex... Surely it is not beyond reason to expect marketplace commentary to include a sense of fairness to consumers.

It's an issue, yes, but why does it have to be beat to death in every mouse review we do? I have complained in previous mouse reviews I've done that there is a real lack of left-handed mice... I just don't see the need to do that every time. Rather than point out issues with content, why not take action if you are so passionate about it? Create online surveys, petitions... anything, and get the word out there to these big companies that they need to stop favoring right-handed people. You cannot just expect all right-handed people to care near as much as left-handed people... it's not as though we fully experience the frustration.

Anyway... subject dropped. I can see this is heading in a direction I never wanted from my original comment ....

Well, what direction were you aiming for when you first retorted Bill's comment, and then mine? From the get-go, you aimed your comments at the wrong people. We're not the ones who don't care, and even if we didn't care, I'm not sure what it would matter. It's not as though we're going to be able to do anything about it.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

My request to you is to copy and paste absolutely anything I said in this thread or elsewhere that made me a rightful target for any of your comments. I stand behind anything I said, as I have never alluded to the fact that I'm the one who doesn't care. To add to that, I'm not the one who's using super-inflated metrics to improve my own argument.

Naaa... it wasn't you that stepped in it and I've never said it was.

I've made it clear here, and many times in the past, that I feel there is a greater need for left-handed mice. But it doesn't matter what I think... I'm not the CEO of any of these companies. I don't count ambidextrous mice, either. They're not more comfortable for left-handed people, they're just more uncomfortable for everyone.

Tell you what... if reviewers started docking a point or two from the scoring when a company produced a product that is not truly universal, I'm betting it would make an impression.

The problem as I see it, is this. Companies cannot simply make a left-handed version of a mouse, such as this one. If they do, then customers are going to inevitably end up purchasing the wrong model. So in order to avoid confusion at all, companies would have to design a completely different mouse, which costs a lot of money. And when the market is 1/10th the size...

Now you're apologizing for them...

Of course, a huge "For left-handed gamers" sticker would probably work just as well.

Exactly.

In the advertising ... "Left and right hand versions available".

Rather than point out issues with content, why not take action if you are so passionate about it?

Ahhh... you don't know me very well, just yet... but you will discover eventually that when an issue of sufficient import comes up, I am totally relentless. You might be surprised at some of the stuff I've done...

Moreover, speaking up about "content issues" is part of doing something about it, Rob.

We're not the ones who don't care, and even if we didn't care, I'm not sure what it would matter. It's not as though we're going to be able to do anything about it.

Sigh... If only I had a penny for every time I've heard that.

 

[Kougar]

Tell you what... if reviewers started docking a point or two from the scoring when a company produced a product that is not truly universal, I'm betting it would make an impression.

This quote got my attention... Whether you meant to or not you are implying products should be universal, and I big to differ.

Microsoft makes right-handed and universal-handed mice. Exact same guts in some of the models, just different styling. And I have to say after trying both versions of the same Wireless Explorer mouse the right-handed model was distinctly better.

What companies should be doing is designing targeted products to each part of the market, eg Microsoft should make left-handed mice as well as right-handed mice. When anyone compromises by designing a catch-all "universal" product one side is going to be perfectly happy with it.

As far as the numbers go, it seems 10-15% is the conservative estimate... but it depends on the definition of being left versus right-handed, and also it's not always clear cut with many ambidextrous people.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

What companies should be doing is designing targeted products to each part of the market, eg Microsoft should make left-handed mice as well as right-handed mice. When anyone compromises by designing a catch-all "universal" product one side is going to be perfectly happy with it.

I guess I didn't word that well enough... your point, quoted above, is what I was trying to get at... If they're going to produce a right handed version without an equivalent (and same price) left handed version... they should lose reviewer points.

As far as the numbers go, it seems 10-15% is the conservative estimate... but it depends on the definition of being left versus right-handed, and also it's not always clear cut with many ambidextrous people.

Well, going by the "writing hand" standard the 10% figure might have been accurate 30 years ago. Back when I was in school picking up a pencil in your left hand would get you whacked with a ruler; some kids were even sent to school with their left hand tied behind their backs. Now that it's not an issue with educators, the numbers are rising almost every year 25% is probably about right given that it should (logically) be 50/50.

Take away the oppression and the stats change drastically... they always do.

 

[eunoia]

You know the QWERTY keyboard was designed to be the slowest possible layout of keyboard keys?

Just sayin'...

 

[2Tired2Tango]

You know the QWERTY keyboard was designed to be the slowest possible layout of keyboard keys?

Just sayin'...

Yep... in fact we had that conversation here not long ago...

http://forums.techgage.com/showthread.php?t=4945

It was designed to force you to move your fingers off home row for all but about a dozen English words and to put the more common letters under the left hand... In fact it was done to slow typists down enough that mechanical typewriters could keep up.

But that's a different issue. Here you have something shaped specifically for the right hand with out a mirror image for the left. It actually excludes a fair chunk of the population from buying the product... not good for business and not good for consumers.

 

[gibbersome]

Yep... in fact we had that conversation here not long ago...

http://forums.techgage.com/showthread.php?t=4945

It was designed to force you to move your fingers off home row for all but about a dozen English words and to put the more common letters under the left hand... In fact it was done to slow typists down enough that mechanical typewriters could keep up.

But that's a different issue. Here you have something shaped specifically for the right hand with out a mirror image for the left. It actually excludes a fair chunk of the population from buying the product... not good for business and not good for consumers.

Quite bizarre, isn't it? The mechanical typewriters would keep getting jammed so they changed the layout.

Now if you tried to change the status quo, you'd have a hard time entering the keyboard market. I'm reminded of the trackball.
http://www.mrgadget.com.au/uploaded_images/Logitech_marble_mouse_trackball_blog-749054.jpg

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Quite bizarre, isn't it? The mechanical typewriters would keep getting jammed so they changed the layout.

Now if you tried to change the status quo, you'd have a hard time entering the keyboard market. I'm reminded of the trackball.
http://www.mrgadget.com.au/uploaded_images/Logitech_marble_mouse_trackball_blog-749054.jpg

Actually I used to have a keyboard with a built in trackball... very nice, but it never caught on. There are Dvorak boards out there as well, but they remain the almost sole premise of high speed transcription and seldom appear outside large typing pools... But Dvorak had the good idea, he designed both right and left handed layouts.

It one odd thing about QWERTY boards is that because of the layout, lefties (like me) actually make better typists... such is Karma.